DOE OSTI · 2575161
Insights into catalyst degradation during alkaline water electrolysis under variable operation
Abstract
Energy conversion technologies that are key to decarbonization efforts face significant durability challenges due to variable operation. Understanding the impact of variable operation on catalytic stability and identifying the key variables that dictate degradation is crucial for developing robust technologies. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the effects of variable operation on liquid alkaline water electrolysis. Our findings reveal that variable operation induces severe degradation of Ni, Fe, and Co catalytic films that is not observed during steady-state operation. By systematically interrogating the electrode discharge during simulated shutdown tests using Raman spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques, we uncover significant alterations caused by reverse currents in real time. These include changes in crystal structure, composition, film thickness, electronic conductivity, and dissolution rates. Lab-scale electrolyzer experiments further highlight the impact of variable operation on catalyst materials under relevant conditions. Finally, we provide guidelines for leveraging these insights to advance electrocatalysis research. This work underscores the importance of integrating realistic stressors into stability testing and offers practical guidelines for catalyst design, performance evaluation, and industrial implementation. Collectively, insights from this study will drive the development of more resilient energy conversion technologies.
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Marquez, Raul A. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000338855007), Bender, Jay T. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000245118673), Aleman, Ashton M. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States). SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis] (ORCID:0000000346982807), Kalokowski, Emma [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0009000052648464), Le, Thuy Vy [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0009000414221450), Williamson, Chloe L. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0009000656033583), Frederiksen, Morten Linding [Aarhus Univ. (Denmark)] (ORCID:0009000075233528), Kawashima, Kenta [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000173186115), Chukwuneke, Chikaodili E. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000304788387), Dolocan, Andrei [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000156530439), Milliron, Delia J. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:000000028737451X), Resasco, Joaquin [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000163749877), Jaramillo, Thomas F. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States). SUNCAT Center for Interface Science and Catalysis] (ORCID:0000000199000622), Buddie Mullins, C. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000310304801). 2025-06-12. Insights into catalyst degradation during alkaline water electrolysis under variable operation. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ee02194d
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